Skid structure for hydroaircraft.



J. P. TARBOX.

' SKID STRUCTURE FOR HYDROAI RCRAFT.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 25, 1918.

1,296,876. Patented Mar. 11,1919.

' F161, g I A INVENTOR Garden City, in the county of Nassau and JoHN r.ran eox, or eAJaDEN CITY, NEW YORK, assrenon TO CURTISS AERorLANE ANDmoron, CORPORATION, A CORPORATION on NEW YORK.

' SKID STRUCTURE FOR HYDROAIRCRAFT.

Application filed March 25, 1918. Serial No. 224,689.

To-all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, JoHN P. TARBOX, a citizen of the United States,residing at State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Skid Structures for Hydroaircraft, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to hydro-aircraft of the character disclosedinapplication Serial #151,502, filed Feb. 28, 1917, Glenn H.

20. It often happens in hydro-aircraft, that Curtiss-inventor; and ischaracterized by anarrangement of runners or skids beneath the lowermosthydroplaning surface or surfaces whereby in running to shore and inhauling in and putting out the hydroplanes or hydroplaning surfaces ofthe craft will not be damaged or permitted to come in contact with theearth;

the hydroplaning surface or surfaces-is or are damaged in beaching thecraft as well as in launching it. Especially is this true in crafthaving submerged hydroplaning' surfaces and in hydro-aircraft generallywhen attempting to beach or launch them under unfavorable weatherconditions. 7 The present invention completely eliminates this dangerand effectually protects the hydroplaning surface or surfaces eventhough the craft be handled somewhat carelessly.

\ Moreover, While the machine is undergoing surfaces which the skidsprotect may be as repair,'t he skids, by reason of their location,constitute supports for holding-it in a bal- "lagncled position and on asubstantially even The character of hydroplaning surface or disclosed,z. e. auxiliary to the pontoon or hull bottom which is constructed inhydroplaning form, or if desired, the auxiliary hydroplaning surface orsurfaces may be eliminated and the skids provided as protection for theprincipal hydroplaning bottomof the flotation body per se. vObviously ineither case the relative positioning of the skids or runners may bevaried within certain limits (also their size and shape) withoutdeparting from the spirit of the '.inven-. tion and without interferingin any way with the efficient operation of the machine.

The head resistance of' the skids'or runners,

in view of the streamline form given them, 7 is but little.

near their ends, and in suc principal hydroplaning surface as to posi-.

Of the drawingsi Figure 1 is a, side elevation of a hydroaeroplaneequipped with skids or runners of the character hereinafter claimed.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a flying boat similarly equipped.

Fig. 3 is a front end elevation (enlarged) of the skid structure showingthe manner in which the skids or runners are mounted.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a front end elevation of a modified form of skid. I In Fig. 1a skid structure designated as an entirety 'by the numeral lO'is shownattached to the bottomsurface of the pon-, toon of a hydroaeroplane. Inthis embodi- Patented Mar. 11, 1919.

ment of the invention the bottom surface of the pontoon constitutes theprincipal hydroplaning surface of the craft. auxiliary hydroplaningsurfaces 11 are disposed. These .surfaces lie respectively fore and aftof the transverse vertical plane of Beneath it 1 the center of gravityof the machine. Each surfaceis of aerofoil section and convexeddownwardly with the point of maximum' convexity lyingsubstantiallybeneath the hydroplaninglift derived from the principal hydroplaningsurface which the bottom of the pontoon itself affords.

Appropriate supports. 12 depend from the pontoon tori idly mount theauxiliary hydroplaning. sur aces 11 beneath the pontoon. The upper endsof these supports 12 are bifurcated as at 13 and extend into the pontoonfor appropriate interior connection. Preferably the side keelsons of thepontoon (where side keelsons are provided) engage in the bifurcations 13of the supports.

The supports 12 not only rigidly mount the auxiliary hydroplaningsurfaces 11 but they-rigidly support the skids of runners which aredesignated as 15. This the supports can readily do as they extend beyondthe auxiliary hydroplanin relation to the surfaces, at or tion the skidsl5 symmetrically at opposite as the skids are bound to receive, metalstrips 16 are provided. These strips extend throughout the full lengthof the runners or skids to provide metal bearing surfaces. They may beremoved and replaced at will.

The skids or runners are given an ap proximate streamline form and arepreferably sufficiently elongated to interconnect and extend bothforwardly and rearwardly beyond the respective pairs of supports 12. Thestreamline form of the skids tends to minimize resistance bothin thewater and in the air and their continuity fore and aft strengthensitheskid structure and the auxiliary hydroplaning surfaces as well. Foradded strength, the auxiliary hydroplaning surfaces may beverticallybraced as at 17 in the vertical plane of the keel line of thepontoon so that the braces will abut the surfaces at the points ofmaximum 'convexity.

In 'Fig. 2 of the drawings the construction and arrangement of the skidbars is identical with that disclosed in connection with thehydroaeroplane of Fig. 1. The auxiliary hydroplaning surfaces 11 howeverare samewhat differently located. Both ofthe surfaces, in the flyingboat embodiment, are disposed in advance of the transverse verticalplane of the center of gravity rather than one in advance of and theother to the rear .of this line.

The location of these surfaces in certain definite relatioii'to thecenter of gravity is only preferred and may be other than as disclosed.Their location as in Fig.

'1 however necessitates a continuance of the skids or runnersrespectively fore and aft of the center of gravity and as thisarrangement of the skids is such that they may effectually support themachine on an even keel, when beached, it is preferred. Moreover, ifdesired, the auxiliary hydroplaning surfaces 11 may be eliminated. Inthis event the skids or runners will offer protection to the principalhydroplaning surface formed by the bottom of the flotation body orbodies per 86.

to any great extent in the event that land' ing or launching is made onmuddy or boggy ground. Furthermore, the fiat bot- I toms supplement thehydroplaning effectof the craft and enable it to even more quickly cometo a planing position on the surface Y of the water.

While I have described my invention in detail in itspresent preferredembodiment, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art afterunderstanding myinvention, that various changes and modifications may bemade therein without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. Iaim'in the appended claims to cover all such modifications and chan es.

What is claimed is: 1. In a hydro-aircraft, a flotation body having ahydroplaning bottom surface, auxiliary hydroplanes spaced beneath thehydroplaning bottom surface, supports for the Y auxiliary hydroplanescontinued beyondthe lowermost point thereof, and skids provided at the'ends of the supports to protect both the 'hydroplaningfbottom surfaceand the auxiliary hydroplanes in launching and beaching the craft.

'2. In a hydro-aircraft, having a hydroplaning surface, auxiliaryhydroplanes spaced beneath the hydroplaning bottom surface, thearrangement ofthe hydroplanes being such that one of the total numberthereof lies in advance of the re- .maining number, separate supportsfor the forwardly located hydroplane and the rearwardly locatedhydroplane respectively, each of the several supports being continuedbeyond the lowermost point of the particular hydroplane with which they,the supports, are associated, and skids provided at the ends of thesupports to protect both the hydroplane surface and the auxiliaryhydroplanes in beaching and launching the craft, the relative locationof the skids being such that the craft when supported by them is heldupright and on a substantially horizontal keel.

In testimony whereof I'hereunto aflixniy signature.

JOHN P. TARBOX.

a flotation body

